Car-coupling



J. A. PO-RTER. GAR COUPLING.

No. 253,626. Patented Feb. 14,1882.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. PORTER, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 253,626, dated February14, 1882,

Application filed October 7, 1881.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. PORTER, of St. Louis, Missouri, have made anew and useful Improvement in Gar-Couplings, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the annexeddrawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a viewin perspective of a carcoupling having the improvement; Fig. 2, asectional side elevation of the coupling; Figs. 3 and 4., views'inperspective of the couplingbolt; Fig. 5, a side elevation of the frontend of one of the draw-heads, showing the bolt supported flatwisetherein and Fig. 6, a front view of a draw-head.

The same letters denote the same parts.

The coupling of the draw-heads of the present construction is effectedby means of a double -headed bolt, the draw heads being chambered out toreceive the bolt-heads, and the bolt, after its insertion in thedraw-heads, being held therein by turning itaround, so as to bring theshoulders of the heads to bear against shoulders within the draw-headchambers. The bolt is provided with a handle, by means of which the boltcan be readily and safely manipulated. The handle can also be used, whendesired, as an ordinary couplingpin to couple an ordinary link, and inthe present as well as other draw-heads, for the present improvementdoes not preclude the drawheads with which it is used from being coupledin the customary manner.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a car-coupling of the usualdescription, saving as modified by the present improvement. Thedraw-heads B B are chambered out at b b, forming shoulders I) therein.The mouths b are elongated laterally.

0 represents the coupling-bolt, having the heads 0 c, which areflattened to correspond to the shape of the mouths D The coupling iseffected by turning the bolt 0 into the position shown in Figs. 1, 3, 5,(in which position the bolt can be inserted in and be withdrawn from thedraw-heads,) and inserting the boltheads in the chambers 12 of thedraw-heads, and then turning the bolt around into the position shown inFigs. 2, 4, and so that the boltheads 0 0 come against the shoulders band (No model.)

prevent the bolt for the time being from being withdrawn from thedraw-heads.

D represents the handle'ot' the bolt. By means ofit the operator canturn and adjust the bolt without exposing his hands between thedraw-heads. It also serves to weight the bolt, so as to keep the latterproperly in position for coupling the draw-heads, the handle for thispurpose being so arranged and extended upon the bolt that its weightoperates to turn the bolt in its hearings in the draw-heads and causethe boltheads to come opposite the shoulders I), and to prevent the boltfrom being jostled sufficiently to uncouple. The handle should beextended in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the heads 0 c.This is essential, for to use an ordinary coupling-link in connectionwith the present draw-head the mouth I) must be elongated laterallyrather than vertica]ly,.and the heads 0 0, when the coupling-bolt islocked in the draw -head, should bear against shoulders at the top andbottom, respectively, of the chamber in the draw-head, as herein shown.

The draw-heads are preferably shaped out at b to make room for thehandle D when the draw-heads come together. The draw-heads may also berecessed at b b for asimilar purpose, the rccesses b b being shaped asshown to provide rests for the handle to enable the bolt to be set andheld in one draw-head, so that the bolt shall be in the proper positionfor entering the opposing draw-head, as seen in Fig. 5. An ordinarycoupling link and pins can be usedwith the present draw-heads B B forthe purpose of coupling them; and the present bolt 0, its handle D beingof proper and uniform diameter, without any cross-bar or enlargement atits lower end to prevent its insertion in the hole b, can be used inconnection with an ordinary link, in such case the handle D beinginserted in the pin-hole b and the bolt proper, 0, serving to preventthe handle from dropping through the drawhead.

I do not broadly claim a double-headed coupling-bolthaving a handle; but

I claim-- 1. The combination of the draw-heads B B, having thelaterally-elongated mouths b and the shoulders b at the top and bottom,re-

spectively, of the chambers b, and the bolt 0, 3. The draw-head B,having the shoulder 11 having the flattened headscc, substantially asshaped as shown, for the purpose of supportdescribed. ing the handle Dof-the bolt 0, substantially 2. The combination of the draw-heads B B,as described. 5 having the laterally-elongated mouths b and theshoulders b at the top and bottom, respectively, of the chambers b, andthe bolt 0,- Witnesses: having the flattened heads 0 c and the handleCHAS. D. MOODY, D, said handle beingextended and shaped sub- CHARLESPICKLES. 1o stantially as described.

JOHN A. PORTER.

